


The Wild Seoul Bear

by dreamingofdragons



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-13 04:13:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16010054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamingofdragons/pseuds/dreamingofdragons
Summary: You didn't have the best history with boyfriends, what with your overprotective best friend Sehun. A camping trip might change all of that. Why not brave hypothermia to show off your new bikini, stock up on bells to scare away the wild Seoul bear and put up with peeing behind a tree because you might be single when you set off, but even if you died in the attempt you weren't going to stay that way for long.





	The Wild Seoul Bear

“I’ll be your boyfriend.”  
It had been two and half years since Kim Jongdae had made that offer with the sweetest smile that the world had ever seen and still you cherished that memory like nothing else. You held it close to your heart, wrapped in tissue paper and sometimes brought it out when you were alone at night; eyes screwed tightly shut to better attempt to be there again. It was the most perfect, fragile thing you had.

There had been a group of you in the bar that night; just three weeks into your first year at university and already forming the embryonic bonds that almost three years later would have grown so very strong. You’d been sad: the giggly, giddy romance with Taemin having fizzled out as suddenly as it had begun, and the beer had loosened your tongue and your tear ducts.  
“I’ll never have another boyfriend.”  
You wept as dramatically as only a teenager could be. “Years from now they’re gonna find me all alone in my apartment, dead for days and days, half eaten by my fifty cats.”  
Well within hearing distance Chanyeol gave a snort of laughter, hastily stifled when your best friend Seolhyun gave him a murderous glare.  
“My bad.”  
He mumbled. “Do continue. Fifty cats…?”  
“That’s not true!  
Jenni said supportively. “You caught Taemin’s eye easily enough, didn’t you? It just didn’t work out, is all. You weren’t right for each other.”  
“I’m no one’s type!”  
You howled, crumpling down against the table top with your hair soaking up spilled beer like a wick. “Cats I tell you!”  
“Jaysus.”  
Your oldest friend/bitterest enemy Sehun groaned, leaning back in his chair with a look of appalled fascination. “You just need to throw up and try to put your hand down Jongdae’s pants over there and you’ll have a trifecta of shame. Mmmmmmpf!”  
He finished with an agonised grunt as his new girlfriend’s elbow connected with his belly.  
“Oops, I think my arm slipped.”  
Jenni said innocently before scooping your hair up off the wet table and bunching it on top of your head. From the table top you surveyed her with doleful, basset hound eyes.  
“Plenty of other guys would just love to comfort you over Taemin. Right, Junmyeon?”  
The stunning young princeling’s eyes got round as soup plates at having been singled out for this.  
“Sure!”  
He agreed, his smooth voice warbling slightly with panic. “I mean, not me but… owwwww!” Clutching his burning right ear, he wilted at the utterly ferocious glare that Junseo shot him. “What? What did I say? I’m dating you!”  
“She’s my friend.”  
Junseo hissed, not very subtly. “For the purposes of this conversation you have to say that you’d totally want to comfort her.”  
“Women are so complicated.”  
Chanyeol marvelled. Sehun snorted.  
“Nah. It’s just these women. They’re crazy. And fucking violent!”  
He dodged another “accidental” arm slip.

Sitting next to you on the other side Jongdae had politely ignored the comment of your hand going down his pants and now draped an arm around your shoulders, encouraging you gently to de-crumple yourself. Beer-soaked and depressed as you might be, your “broken” heart fluttered at his proximity. Kim Jongdae had cheekbones like razorblades and a jawline that was utterly flawless, complete with slightly cleft chin. His nose was so utterly ruler-straight it could have been used to advertise plastic surgery and his mouth formed a perfect cupid’s bow; permanently curving up at the edges in innate good humour in a way that you just flat out adored. And just to complete what might have been too sharp were the biggest, most liquid dark eyes in the universe, with the longest eyelashes. Seriously, the man had eyelashes like a baby elephant. Two weeks ago, you had first set eyes on him and Taemin or no Taemin the biggest flock of pterodactyls since Jurassic Park had set up home in your stomach. Up close, he was blissfully warm and smelled like beer and Calvin Klein. Snuggled in against him you felt a tingle run through you so extreme that you squirmed a little. Oh, but he felt good.  
“Hey…”  
He twisted towards you and suddenly you were almost nose-to-nose with him. Your heart promptly tried to jump up through said nose. None of you were sober and his lovely eyes were crossing slightly as his lips curved into that beautiful smile. “I’ll be your boyfriend.”  
And feeling his warm, beery breath caress your lips, you decided that maybe you weren’t quite ready to throw yourself off the nearest cliff for your lost love just yet.

Two and a half years later you felt a pang in your chest, not for the first time, that you hadn’t taken him up on his offer. But he had been drunk and you had been drunk, and you had split up with Taemin literally hours earlier and had he been serious anyway? Jongdae was the sweetest guy in the world; quite possibly he had simply learned the lesson that his friend had failed to learn from the girls and said the right thing. And what if you had said yes it all thrilled seriousness and he hadn’t meant it? Awk…. Ward. You would have run back to your room and not emerged again for three years in utter humiliation. So, you hadn’t said yes, and you hadn’t said no, either, and a short while later Jongdae’s arm had slid from your shoulders and the conversation had turned to more cheerful matters. You might have tried ago at a more sobor moment but less than a month later Jongdae had hooked up with Minsoo at a party and that had been it, hadn’t it? Your opportunity wasn’t so much lost as vaporised. And for two and a half years the two of you – the whole group of you – had become close as friends could be. And if sometimes in the night you screwed your eyes tightly shut and remembered his arm holding you safe and close to his leanly muscled side as he gazed at you with sweetly drunk eyes? If the soundtrack of his melodic voice declaring, “I’ll be your boyfriend” had run so many times that until the moment your life ended you’d be able to hear his voice in your mind? Well, some pieces of knowledge were so precious that they would always be a secret.

“Camping?”  
Jenni asked with the same revulsion as most people would respond to “cannibalistic buffet”. “Why the hell would we go camping?”  
Supposedly opposites attract, which should mean that you simply adored the idea of trekking through the wilderness before cowering beneath a thin sheet of canvas in the freezing cold and rain. But if opposites attract then so too did two best friends who both loved nothing more than to snuggle up together on a sofa in a nice, warm room; slurping hot chocolate and whispering gossip to each other.  
“You said camping, right?”  
Sehun drawled, sitting in an armchair with his endless, muscular legs kicked over the side. “Not whoring yourself to the entire South Korean army?”  
“I think I’d prefer that to camping!”  
“No doubt.”  
He replied sweetly and slid to the floor out of the way of the cushion Jenni hurled at his head, laughing. The relationship between the two had fizzled out more than a year ago but thankfully, they were still close. And talking about failed relationships…  
“Getting away from campus would be nice.”  
Seolhyun shot Jongdae a troubled look. “Some breathing room.”  
There was a mutual wince that was group-wide.  
“Seolhyun!”  
Junseo hissed at her friend, casting Jongdae a mortified glance. His breakup with Minsoo was very, very recent and their friend had been a lot quieter than usual but that didn’t mean he’d want to hear about their plans to return him to his normally cheerful self. You had your own plans. Nothing soothed a broken heart like being drawn to the bosom of the woman that truly loved you, hmmm? Jongdae shot them a wry smile.  
“Guys, we’ve been through this. I’m fine. Going camping is a great idea but if it’s just to get me away from Seoul and anything that might possibly remind me of Minsoo then you’re wasting your time.”  
“We’ve all been studying so hard that I for one feel like my brains have turned to scrambled eggs.”  
Junmyeon said reasonably – and hastily – before Seolhyun could plough into Jongdae’s argument with her usual devastating lack of subtlety. “We could do with a break.”  
“Well sure, a break.”  
You replied hesitantly. “But camping? Why don’t we get some great hotel on the beach? We could fly to Jeju!”  
For a moment images of wide, sandy beaches and lapping, azure water filled your head and you sighed blissfully. Sure, Jongdae had seen you in a bikini numerous times and hadn’t yet scooped you up into his arms and declared everlasting love, but maybe you just hadn’t found the right bikini. Sure as hell a declaration of everlasting love was more likely to a bikini than head to toe muddy waterproofs and sweaty hair. Chanyeol lifted an eyebrow.  
“Who has the money for Jeju?”  
He asked bluntly. “We’ve been balls to the wall all year and I for one ran out of money weeks ago. I’ve been eating instant ramen for a month.”  
Everyone very carefully did not look over at Junmyeon. Probably he could have afforded to fly them all to Hawaii if he’d wanted but they were all ferociously protective of the sweetheart bunny and that did not involve going crazy on his credit card.  
“We all have.”  
Minseok agreed, about the ramen noodles. “But we know enough people between us to borrow some camping supplies. If we club together for food and gas, then we can do it for almost nothing.”  
Jenni sighed, her shoulders slumping as she recognised the truth of this.  
“It would be nice to get away for a few days.”  
Seolhyun said hesitantly. Junseo nodded.  
“Sitting around a campfire, toasting marshmallows might actually be kind of fun!”  
“Romantic, right babe?”  
Sehun leered. “We can share a blanket. We can snuggle.”  
“Why does the word “snuggle” from your lips sound so completely filthy?”  
Junmyeon asked wonderingly. “Also, bizarrely, “blanket”.”  
“The fact that your weird bedding kink has me in a starring role really freaks me out, Hyung, I won’t lie.”  
Sehun replied; black eyes glittering wickedly. Junmyeon manfully ignored this, although it looked like it was giving him indigestion to do so.  
“So, we’ll go?”  
He asked hopefully. The group all looked at each other and then broke into grins.  
“Let’s go!”

“Wow, this is a lot of stuff!”  
Chanyeol wheezed as they loaded the accumulated camping supplies into the boots of the two cars that were going to take them up into the mountains. “This gas canister alone weighs a ton!”  
“Does it?”  
Minseok attempted to lift it and his eyebrows shot up into his hairline. “Hey now, how are we supposed to hike and carry this thing? Are we hiring a yak?”  
“Damn it, and I just lost the number of Rent-a-Yak.”  
Chanyeol face-palmed and nearby you giggled into your backpack as you attempted to fasten the bulging container.  
“Google it.”  
You suggested, straightening up with the backpack and feeling your knees crumple beneath you. Sehun rescued you before the weight of the thing compressed your spine by a full ten inches and hastily dropped it to the floor.  
“What the hell is in that thing?”  
“Essentials!”  
You defended yourself. “Warm clothes and stuff to get clean after the hike and insect repellent and bear bells…”  
“Bear bells?”  
“Pretty sure that we won’t have to fight off any bears on this trip.”  
Junmyeon said gently and Sehun outright snorted.  
“Oh, come on, hyung. The great Seoul bear infestation! It’s been on all the news channels! Owwwwwww!”  
You had found a great use for the apparently redundant bear bells and you patted your backpack threateningly as Sehun rubbed his dented skull and snatched them off you.  
“And what you should really be asking is how many bells I brought along with me. It might just be those, but it might be more. Well to tell you the truth in all this excitement I kinda lost track myself. You should be asking yourself one question. Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?”  
Jenni exploded with laughter beside you and the two of you high fived. Sehun rolled his eyes so hard they almost fell out of their sockets.  
“Fine. Take your bear bells. I hope they attract a big damned bear and it eats you!”

Minseok was driving with Chanyeol in the passenger seat. You scrambled into the back seat and came nose-to-nose with Jongdae, getting in from the other side.  
“Eek!”  
The sound was so startled and so utterly girlie that you felt your cheeks start to glow scarlet. Oh, that was so sexy.  
“Hey…”  
His smile ramped up a few levels until it was glowing. “I guess we’re car buddies.”  
“Oh, cool.”  
You warbled. “I brought some candy for the journey if you want to share.”  
“Well prepare to share with more than him because the two of you don’t have the whole thing to yourself.”  
Sehun grunted as he and Jenni squashed in beside you. Suddenly you went from a respectful distance between you and Jongdae to practically biblical.  
“Mmmph! Oh Sehun, move your cushiony backside right now! There isn’t room!”  
“The girl with an ass like two badly parked Micra’s is saying that I have a big butt?”  
Sehun yelped with affront. You gasped with utter outrage at this, reaching out to yank at his hair. He put his giant hand flat against your face to fend you off and for a moment there was chaos as screeching, bitch-slapping war erupted between you and your oldest friend.  
“Whoa, whoa!”  
Laughing, Jongdae wrapped his arms around your waist and lifted you bodily away from Sehun. Hooking her arms around her ex-boyfriend’s ribcage Jenni pulled him backwards. The two of you glowered at each other.  
“Bitch.”  
“Dick!”  
“Airhead!”  
“Deviant!”  
“I think…”  
Minseok said with remarkable calm from the front seat. “That you and Sehun should switch places, Jenni.”  
“Plan.”  
Jenni agreed, scrambling over her boyfriend.

The cars drove along the expressway, leaving Seoul behind. Minseok and Chanyeol were chatting about something in the front and Jenni and Sehun were sharing his tablet as they caught up on a drama. More than a little bored you looked at Jongdae as he shifted; pulling his phone out of his pocket.  
“Want to listen to music?”  
Nodding gratefully, blushing a little, you accepted one of the earbuds and popped it into the ear nearest to him. The familiar silk and honey vocals of Kim Sungkyu drizzled into your ears and you looked at him with pleasure.  
“The new album! I’ve been dying to buy this!”  
As Chanyeol said, everyone was chronically short of money now, and you hadn’t got any further than gazing at it longingly online. Jongdae blushed a little.  
“Well, no good playing something that you don’t like.”  
He murmured and blushed even more at the shining smile you gave to him. Settled beside him, feeling his arm press warmly against yours and the sweet, romantic tones of Infinite’s main vocalist fill your head a sigh of utter happiness escaped your lips. Jongdae shifted a little.  
“Move a little closer to me, would you?”  
He asked softly. “The earbuds are tugging a little.”  
“Oh! Oh… sure.”  
Hesitantly, hardly daring to believe your luck you edged away from Jenni and closer to Jongdae. He shifted his arm up, making room for you beneath and, well, you were shy, but you weren’t a damn fool. Your thighs pressed snugly together, and this close you could smell the fresh soap and deodorant scent of him. This time around Jongdae smelled considerably better than your beer-y memories and if anything, his body was even better than you had remembered it.  
“Is this OK?”  
You asked him shyly and he looked down at you with slightly parted lips; his dark eyes liquid soft.  
“Yeah.”  
He replied gruffly. “Yeah, this is good.”  
His arm tightened imperceptibly and taking a deep breath you took the leap and gave it to something that you had wanted to do for two and a half years. Tilting your body in to his you rested your head on his shoulder and allowed your body to melt in against his. The boldness of the move almost gave you heart failure, but you were here: right where you wanted to be and far from shoving you away Jongdae relaxed back into his seat and settled down; his fingers brushing absently against the fuzzy stuff of your top. Eyes half closing in bliss your glanced forward just as Chanyeol was checking out the rear-view mirror. Your eyes met, and you saw his eyebrows shoot up in surprise before a slow and definite smirk lit up his face. You watched him nudge Minseok and cringed inwardly but not even the certain mockery coming your way later was going to shift you from your position.

Mockery may not have been able to shift you but coming face-to-face with Sehun as the car stopped at a service station certainly wilted your enthusiasm. Black hair tumbling over his broad, smooth forehead and into his flashing black eyes, Sehun looked furious.  
“You!”  
He exploded, albeit in a hiss as it seemed that he didn’t want Jongdae or any of the others to overhear this conversation. “What the hell was that?”  
“What was what?”  
“In the car, that’s what!”  
Sehun erupted. “Your “Oh I’m so precious and fluffy” act for Jongdae! Your snuggle bunny “I don’t have a spine so please let me drape all over you like an anaconda” act!”  
“Which is it? I’m a spineless fluffy bunny or an anaconda that’s going to rip off his damn head!”  
You felt the fire beginning to flash in your eyes. No one pissed you off in the world as much as Oh Sehun. Admittedly, you tried to be cute around your boyfriends. You had aigyo by the truck load, but it was like even the most potent aigyo died a hard death around Oh Sehun and within minutes in his presence you were less fluffy bunny and more screaming harpy. Like it or not – and you didn’t – the guy knew you far too well, The real you as well, the bastard.  
“He is vulnerable!”  
Sehun said virtuously. Your jaw dropped open.  
“What the hell is this?”  
You squeaked. “Since when did you possess any emotional sensitivity? When that transfer student who Baekhyun had such a crush on broke up with her boyfriend wasn’t the first thing you said to him was to get her drunk, take her upstairs and give her something better to think about?”  
No one did lordly disdain like Oh Sehun. Thick, feathery eyebrows arching superciliously he gazed down at you haughtily.  
“Jongdae is not ready to be taken upstairs.”  
“He can decide that!”  
“For you to get bored and dump him when we’re almost up to finals?”  
“I would not!”  
You screeched, thoroughly provoked. Sehun audibly scoffed at this.  
“You’ve done it for the past ten guys you dated! Too boring, too drunk, a stupid laugh, poor table manners…”  
“And I should have done what exactly? Stayed with one of them and strung them along when it was obvious to everyone with eyes that your heart wasn’t in it and it was never going to last?”  
Alright, that might have been a low blow. His breakup with Jenni had been tough but damn it if he was going to get into your love life then you would return the favour! Sehun crossed his arms over his impressively broad chest and glared. Mimicking him, your eyes locked and a silent battle of wills began that saw tears in both your eyes as you both struggled not to give in and blink first.  
“Leave him alone!”  
He finally yelled.  
“No!”  
You yelled right back. “He’s single and I’m single and it’s our time!”  
“Um… is everything alright here?”  
You both spun around, a bizarrely united front of outrage that someone had dared to break into your fight and Jenni took a fast step backwards. “Only, you’re making a scene.”  
Looking around you saw that the two of you were indeed getting more than a few curious and disapproving looks. Trying to calm down and restore your tranquil expression you watched as Sehun raked a hand through his stupidly perfect hair, shift his even more stupidly broad shoulders and settle his ridiculously stupid, handsome face into his default resting bitch face.  
“It’s fine, Jenni.”  
He said more calmly, and you nodded.  
“Everything’s fine.”  
“Like you’d tell me if it wasn’t.”  
Jenni said with a sad smile. You jerked with surprise and saw Sehun’s eyebrows wing uncomfortably. “OK you two, keep your secrets if you must.”  
And spinning on her heel she walked away.

Shocked and inexplicably guilty, you looked up at Sehun.  
“Do you think she heard us?”  
“Everyone in a two mild radius heard us.”  
Sehun mumbled and then sighed. He shifted again; that familiar movement like he was shaking off his concerns like a duck shed water from its feathers. Hooking his arm around your neck he pulled you, stumbling, in against him to ruffle your hair. He was so much taller and broader than you were, but you’d had years to get used to that and now there was only the familiar, comforting reassurance of his strong arm draping heavily around your shoulders as you nestled in beneath his armpit. “Come on, shrimp, let’s go.”  
That did not mean you were going to let him get away with that!  
“I’m average height! You’re just stupidly tall. And don’t do that to my hair when I spent ages making it pretty.”  
“Why bother? We’re going hiking!”  
“And that means I have to look like a troll like you?”  
“Like you could look this good even if you spent a solid week getting ready.”  
Sehun scoffed. Bickering, the two of you headed back towards the car and as you slipped your hand through his arm he adjusted automatically, your hand resting on his forearm in the place that had always been yours.

“This…sucks…!”  
You gasped, feeling like you were ready to die. Slogging uphill beside you Jenni had turned an unhealthy purple colour.  
“Sucks…syphilitic… weasels…!”  
She agreed. Jongdae had been skipping up the mountain ahead of them like a particularly frisky goat but he looped back on himself, flashing that smile at the both of you.  
“You’re doing really well.”  
He lied encouragingly. “Minseok is getting the tents set up at the campsite. You’re nearly there!”  
“Truly?”  
You gasped, feeling like you were either going to faint or throw up if you had to walk one more step. Never, ever had your regretted anything quite as much as those damned bear bells in your whole life. Even the gas canister couldn’t have weighed so much! Pulling out his water bottle Jongdae offered it to you both.  
“Really truly.”  
He assured you. Your fingertips brushed as you took the bottle from him and a tingle ran through you. The nausea was replaced with a flash of excitement and a squeal of laughter as he firmly grasped your hand and flashed you a blazing grin. “Come on, I’ll prove it! Let’s run!”  
“Jongdae, no! Jongdae, I’m gonna die! Jongdae!”  
But laughing helplessly, grabbing the giggling Jenni with your other hand the three of you broke uphill at a full-on sprint and broke through the treeline like the afore-mentioned bears were chasing you. Laughing helplessly the three of you tumbled onto the ground next to what was about to be the campfire. Standing nearby with Junmyeon you saw Sehun’s eyes narrow and his firm jaw clench. Oh shit, you knew that look. Suddenly your budding romance with Jongdae had just got a whole lot less simple.

The camp was set up with your tents and the campfire was all laid out and blazing away from the wood that had been collected from the woods. Surveying the inside of the tent that you would be sharing with Jenni, you smirked complacently. Foam base layer to protect you from the ground and the sleeping bag looked thick and fluffy. It looked almost inviting in here! It would have looked even more inviting had you not been utterly desperate to pee.  
“I need to find a tree really bad.”  
You hissed agonisingly at your best friend. Jenni looked amused.  
“Now that is one trip to the bathroom I will not be accompanying you on.”  
“But you have to!”  
“I don’t have to watch you pee!”  
“But Jenni…”  
You whined. “…The bears!”  
“You really need to get over this fixation with bears! I hate to agree with my ex but Sehun has a point. There are no bears!”  
“When I get eaten by one of those non-existent bears I’m going to haunt you until your dying day.”  
You muttered sulkily as you crawled out of the tent and ventured into the treeline. “Full-on the Ring style, too! I’ll stand right by your bed when you’re asleep with my hair hanging over my face and give you a damned heart attack when you wake up!”

A convenient bush found, and your business attended to, you were sauntering back to camp when you heard a familiar, sultry voice. Forehead furrowing, you wondered what Sehun was doing out here all alone and apparently talking to himself. Following his voice, you relaxed a little when you saw that he was on his phone and not suffering from a psychotic attack.  
“…And you’ve got every reason to think that.”  
God, as much as he drove you utterly crazy you had to admit that few men had Sehun’s voice when he decided to turn it on. Not that he ever had with you, but you’d been within earshot a time or two. The deep, slow tones dripped sweet and sticky seduction down your ears and immune to his charms as you were, you had to admit that your thighs pressed together reflexively, and you squirmed at the rush of heat down below. “But believe me, the feelings are still there. There just isn’t anyone like you.”  
Your eyebrows shot up in surprise, confusion and outrage. What the hell was this? Sehun was dating someone? You hadn’t known anything about it! Had he deliberately kept this from you, and you his best friend in the world? And who the hell was she, anyway? Did Jenni know? Oh God, she was going to be crushed. Listening to the mystery woman’s reply on the phone Sehun’s sultry mouth curved into a satisfied smile.  
“Mmmmm, I think that’s the best idea.”  
He crooned and with a snort, you stalked away. You didn’t want to hear any more.

“Oh God, it’s freezing!”  
Dressed in nothing but a pair of swimming shorts that hung off his flawless hipbones Junmyeon dipped a toe into the small lagoon, complete with splashing waterfall. It was glorious, but apparently South Korea at this time of year wasn’t exactly the Caribbean.  
“That’s why you have to get in it like this! Yaaaaaaaaaaaa!”  
Approaching from higher ground Chanyeol powered along with those ridiculously lengthy legs and pushed off into this air. Yelling loud enough to wake the dead he cannon-balled into the lagoon and caused a mini tsunami of cold water to splash over Junmyeon.  
“Aaaaaargh!”  
Their fearless leader’s seductive tones went startlingly high-pitched.  
“Oh, fuck me, that’s… fresh.”  
Chanyeol gasped, coming up for air with his thick, wavy hair plastered to his head as he laughed with simple exhilaration. “This… is… amazing!”  
He roared, splashing furiously. “University? What university? I am… invincible!”  
“Raaaaaaa!”  
Apparently encouraged by his friend’s words Sehun came charging towards the water only to grab Junmyeon around the waist and hurl them both off the ledge and into the water. The look of outrage and dawning horror on Junmyeon’s face was something that you would never forget to your dying day.  
“It’s freezing! Wait… my testicles…! Where did my testicles go?”  
“Will you never again mention your balls when I’m holding onto you.”  
Sehun whimpered and leaving his friend to his fate he splashed away towards Chanyeol.

The girls approached the swim rather more demurely. Folding their sweaters into a neat pile they surveyed the blue green water dubiously.  
“This is such a bad idea.”  
Seolhyun remarked. Popping up beside her, wet and sleek as an otter Chanyeol grasped his girlfriend around her waist and heaved her upwards onto his shoulder.  
“It’s like ripping off a bandage.”  
He told her with an evil grin. “You just have to get in there.”  
“Noooooooo!”  
Seolhyun wailed before the sound was covered up with an enormous splash. The remaining three girls winced at Seolhyun’s ultrasonic screech before Junseo shrugged philosophically.  
“He might be right.”  
She admitted and hurled herself in with a war cry. However, you intended to get into the water, your attention was distracted by Jongdae walking towards you. His swimming shorts were splashed with massive black and white flowers, Hawaiian style and the colour was insanely flattering against the remnants of his summer tan. And that was before you got to a torso so ripped he could have grated cheese on his six-pack. Holding his hands out towards you he flashed you that killer smile.  
“Want to jump in together?”  
He asked. “Will you hold my hand?”  
“Scared?”  
You teased him, trying not to follow where a treasure trail of hair descended from his navel down below the band of his shorts. Jongdae’s smile curved flirtatiously.  
“Maybe I just really want to hold your hand.”  
Ohhh, now that scored major points. What a smoothie! Smiling back at him, you grasped the hem of your sweater.  
“Well if we’re going in there then I’d better take this off.”  
And in one smooth move that couldn’t have gone better if you’d practiced it in front of your mirror for hours – alright, there may have been some practicing – you pulled the sweater off over your head to reveal the bikini beneath. It was a simple, solid rose-pink colour but it was tied in little ribbons at the hips, hinting that perhaps it could be untied by the right boy. Jongdae’s pupils dilated in a wash of black and his killer cheekbones flushed with heat. Swallowing, he held his hand out to you.

Movement from the water distracted you from what would have been the ultimate heart-flip moment. As it was, there were few things as distracting as Sehun when he was a) wet through b) almost naked and c) wearing a colour of red that was so absurdly flattering against his raven hair and eyes, and skin that had the lustre of raw skin and the colour of honey in heavy cream. Rising from the water like a Greek god his eyes flashed between you and Jongdae for a second before he dealt with the matter with all the casual confidence of someone who honestly believed that he was Heir to the Universe. Grasping you at the waist like he had with Junmyeon; he treated you differently. Certainly, he hadn’t pulled the older boy in against his body and held him there with a hand flat against the small of his back. Junmyeon probably would have had a lot to say about it if he had!  
“Hold your breath.”  
He murmured down to you before he simply fell backwards. Held on top of him the water closed above your head and Jongdae simply… disappeared.

Cold, wet skin, the soft scratch of his red swimming shorts and a body that was nothing short of perfection. In all the time since Sehun had matured as a teenager and you reluctantly noticed that your skinny best friend was fast becoming the hottest guy in school you had never actually gotten up close to his maturing bod. Best friends didn’t tend to get up close and personal. And it felt new, you admitted as the two of you fell through the water with your eyes open and he looked right back at you with the damndest small smile tugging at his full mouth. Your hands were flattened against his chest and your legs tangled together and the way you felt, it was something completely new. You felt alive to a point that you had to wonder if you’d been half asleep your whole life. Feeling your breasts press against the solid wall of his chest, feeling his large hand slide ever so slightly lower so his long fingers just caressed the top of your buttocks, a rush of liquid heat slid through your body and seemed to turn your simple blood to something so much more volcanic and complicated. This was crazy! This was Sehun! So why the hell was your body responding like he was the only one it had ever wanted? Coming up for air, gasping for breath you shook the water from your hair and felt a full-body shudder wrack your frame. Jesus Christ, this water was freezing! Coming up beside you, Sehun had gone very still. His unfathomable black eyes were on you and burning with an intensity that had usually reserved for women that had pretty much agreed to bed him. Following his gaze, you swallowed hard and felt colour begin to burn in your cheeks. Ah. In plotting what would look sexy as hell in front of Jongdae you hadn’t done the all-important equation of skimpy bikini + freezing cold water = nipples that really seemed to want to say hello.  
“Sehun!”  
You hissed, because he might have been dribbling a little. His eyes snapped back up to your face.  
“Huh?”  
He grunted, caveman style. God knows where his blood flow was being directed but it didn’t seem to be his brain.  
“Get a grip! You’ve seen them before.”  
“Yeah, when you were four years old and you didn’t have any!”  
Sehun retorted before a wicked grin broke over his face. Ducking back beneath the water he came up again, with his head and neck between your legs. As he rose, so did you and you yelped and gasped with laughter as you were lifted high up onto those broad shoulders. Resting his large hands flat against your thighs he yelled out a challenge.  
“Chicken!”  
“Oh, it is on!”  
Chanyeol yelled back and grabbed Seolhyun.

By the time the food was ready that night, you were hungry enough to eat all of it. The loud, rambunctious game of chicken between you and Sehun and Chanyeol and Seolhyun had been so much fun that your stomach muscles ached with laughter. And if the feel of his hands on your thighs had gone deeper than it should have, if the nape of his neck had pressed warm and firm against your core made you ache in a way that had nothing to do with laughter, well… that was your secret. The food had been cooking since the campfire had been set up and with the hours the one-pot chicken and vegetables had formed a stew that tasted divine.  
“Oh man, this is the best.”  
Chanyeol groaned, his eyes closing in bliss. “Maybe I should have saved money for something other than ramen.”  
“If I hadn’t eaten this I was seriously considering a trip home just so my mother could feed me.”  
Minseok agreed ruefully.  
“Before I died of malnutrition.”  
Junmyeon agreed with a grin. Breathing in the fragrant steam you looked with surprised pleasure as Jongdae brushed his fingers against your wrist to get your attention.  
“Want some more?”  
“Oh, thanks! Want some more beer?”  
“Thanks.”  
The two of you smiled at each other and as Jongdae ladled some more of the savoury stew into your bowl you poured beer into his glass in your best geisha impersonation.  
“Are you warm enough? You were in the water for a long time.”  
Actually, your insides felt like a solid block of ice now that he mentioned it, but it was hardly romantic to start bitching about it.  
“Can I snuggle up with you a little?”  
You murmured breathily, making your eyes huge and innocent as your eyelashes batted up at him. “It is a little cold.”  
“Sure, move up beside me.”  
Jongdae agreed promptly. And then it happened. Before you had a chance to move anywhere and before he had the chance to pull you close for snuggles and flirting and guaranteed kissing, a new voice broke through the group.  
“That looks good. Is there room for one more?”  
Jongdae stiffened and jerked like he’d just been electrocuted.  
“Minsoo!”

Jongdae and Minsoo were huddled up together, talking quietly and intently. Her hand was clasped in his and their bodies were angled towards each other in a way that seemed to block out the world. Feeling like you’d eaten some rotten chicken you watched them with dry, burning eyes before you had to look away. What the hell was Minsoo doing here? The entire group had closed ranks around Jongdae after the break up. No one would have casually mentioned the camping trip to his ex, so how had she found out about it? And why had she come, anyway? It was one hell of an assumption that Jongdae would have welcomed her presence and Minsoo simply wasn’t that bold. Your eyes were back on them, the happy couple and your stomach clenched as you admitted this probably meant the death for your dreams about Jongdae. A small movement from Minsoo caught your attention; her eyes looking away from Jongdae for a moment to look at someone else. The smile she flashed him was pure gratitude and the mouthed, “Thank you” full of simple sincerity. Following her gaze, you watched as Sehun dipped his head in acknowledgement: his whole body radiating smug benevolence.  
“Believe me, the feelings are still there. There just isn’t anyone like you.”  
Son… of… a… bitch! You hadn’t known about Sehun’s mystery woman because Sehun didn’t have a mystery woman! Minsoo wasn’t bold, it was true, but if Minsoo had been reassured that her appearance would be welcome? If Minsoo had been bolstered by one of Jongdae’s closest friends into thinking that her ex was missing her horribly? Well, even the shyest girl could find some courage for the man she loved.  
“Sehun.”  
There was a startled pause as your voice came out ever so faintly demonic. His thick black hoodie pulled up over his head, framing his flawless face Sehun arched his eyebrows calmly. “The fire is getting low. Come with me to collect some wood.”  
“We have plenty!”  
Minseok looked startled. Baring your teeth at him in something that might resemble a smile - if you were blind and extremely stupid – he spluttered, “But you know, it won’t last long at all.”  
“That’s what I thought.”  
You growled and sank your nails into Sehun’s sleeve. “Come on, my dear friend.”  
Sehun rose gracefully to his feet and did nothing to break your grip.  
“Let’s go get wood.”  
He drawled and sniggered.

“You… you…”  
For once you were speechless. Facing him, out of earshot of the others you look at him with sheer disbelief. “You rang Minsoo!”  
Sehun’s eyebrows winged and for a second he looked slightly guilty and then his face smoothed over.  
“Damn right I rang Minsoo.”  
“Why the hell would you do that!”  
You exploded, almost tearing at your hair in your frustration. “You complete ass, I was this close…!”  
“Because you weren’t backing off!”  
Sehun replied sharply. “And I meant what I said, he was vulnerable. And he was coming on hard to you and it was never going to last.”  
“You’re not psychic!”  
You screeched, thoroughly provoked. “You have no idea what might have happened between me and Jongdae.”  
“I have eyes!”  
He shouted, finally losing his temper. “And Jongdae has been head over heels for Minsoo from the moment he laid eyes on her. Would he mean to use you like that? No way, you’re one of his best friends and he adores you, no doubt. But would that stop him from rebounding hard and hurting you? I wasn’t about to find out.”  
“You’ve hurt me, you asshole!”  
And indeed, helpless tears were forming in your eyes. “Why did you have to go behind my back like that? Why don’t you want me to be happy? Don’t you see? You hurt me so much more than Jongdae ever could!”  
“For God’s sake, how can you be so blind?”  
Sehun erupted and you stopped dead, mesmerised by the passion of someone usually so stoic and how shockingly beautiful he was when he let go. Taking you by the shoulders he shook you; glaring down into your eyes. “Why do you feel like that? Because you feel a million times more for me than you ever would for Jongdae. And that’s why it would never have worked out. There’s one soulmate for one person and Minsoo might be Jongdae’s but I’m yours.”  
His voice broke and without another word he spun on his heel and stalked away. Stunned, you were left alone behind him.

It was cold. It had gone so far beyond cold that you wouldn’t have been at all surprised if the tent had been picked up in a tornado, Wizard of Oz style and transplanted in the middle of the North Pole. Wrapped in the jogging bottoms and matching top you had brought to sleep in, plus a coat, plus the sleeping bag, your teeth were still chattering so hard that your whole skull was vibrating. Shaking with cold and the lingering aftereffects of the argument with Sehun, sleep was a million miles away. Glancing over at the softly breathing lump that was Jenni you opened your mouth, ready to wake her and snuggle up close. What were best friends for if not to share their body heat when you were a giant ice cube? In that moment, a shadow fell across the canvas and slowly, stealthily, the tent door unzipped.  
“Jenni?”  
Minseok whispered and your “sleeping” friend sat bolt upright like she’d been tasered – or had been waiting for a while for just this intrusion.  
“Minseok.”  
She whispered back, her voice breathy and trembling a little. “It’s alright, she’s fast asleep.”  
Was she indeed? Afraid not, sister: she was wide awake and listening to every word.  
“Want to go for a walk?”  
Minseok asked softly; the moonlight catching on his jet-black hair and giving it flashes of quicksilver. Slowly, Jenni unzipped her sleeping bag and straightened up.  
“No.”  
She said quietly, and you flinched in sympathy for Minseok; your eyes widening into soup plates when your friend continued, “I want to go back to your tent.”  
Girl got game! Minseok gave a soft, breathless laugh.  
“Anything you want.”  
“Anything?”  
Jenni murmured archly, and you found yourself grinning into your pillow. You had no recollection of any moments between Jenni and Minseok on this trip but then again you had been more than a little distracted. Jenni hadn’t dated anyone since Sehun and anyone with eyes could see that Minseok was so much better suited to her. The guy in question held out his hand, his fingers twining with hers as he helped her out of the tent and zipped the door up afterwards.  
“Anything…”  
You heard him reply, just before the two of them headed off together.

The leaves on the forest floor crunched as you finished your business and made your weary way back towards the tent. God, you were so cold. Why had you spent so long playing in the water? Seriously, this was so bad that you were seconds away from going to find Jenni. Your best friend’s body heat would have been a wonderful thing but Jenni and Minseok? Well, seriously awkward but so toasty warm!  
“You know, if I was half the asshole you regularly accuse me of being I’d so start doing bear impressions right about now.”  
Sehun commented thoughtfully from nearby and you had never come so close to having a heart attack. Clutching your chest, keeling backwards against a tree you could only gasp for breath and try not to die as your best friend smirked.  
“What the hell…! Sehun!”  
Hurling yourself at him with the strong intention of knocking his damned head off, he caught your fists far too easily, laughing. And then flinched.  
“Jesus, you’re freezing.”  
“I know I’m freezing!”  
You screeched. “Call it a combination of cold water, camping in the middle of winter and being scared half to death!”  
“Why the hell do you make it sound like I’m responsible for all three of those things?”  
“Because you are.”  
“Jeez, you’re so loud.”  
He complained. Like you Sehun appeared to be wearing a jogging suit with a coat over the top and deftly he unbuttoned the coat and held it open. “Come on in before you freeze to death.”  
You might have refused. Considering your last conversation with him then clearly the two of you had things to straighten out before you went snuggling up to him but honestly, you were so cold that your bones were aching. Stepping towards him, catching hold of his waist you felt his strong arms catch hold of you and pull you in the rest of the way. Wrapping your arms around his waist you hid your face against the strong column of his neck. The icy tip of your nose fit into the hollow of his throat and your head fit perfectly beneath his jaw. Wrapping his arms around you, one of his hands ran up and down your spine and an agonised croon escaped from your lips as his tremendous heat began to seep into you. Call it a by-product of burning calories like a wood burner went through logs but Sehun threw out body heat like a roaring blaze and after a moment’s caution you decided to hell with it and plastered your body against his. Leaning back against a tree Sehun held you; his thick thighs cradling yours with his head ducked protectively over yours.  
“Oooooooooh.”  
The low, blissful sound that bubbled from your throat called a matching rumble of laughter from his chest.  
“Flattering.”  
He drawled. In revenge your chilled hands found the bottom of his hoodie and slid up to flatten against his bare skin. He jumped in surprise but didn’t pull away, and by then you’d discovered that the skin of his back felt like pure, heated velvet. The column of his spine was surrounded by the defined muscles of his active lifestyle and from the narrow distance of his waist his ribcage and shoulders spread out in some seriously masculine bulk. And how did you know, anyway? Only because your hands had decided to go exploring with no instruction whatsoever from your brain. And he felt good. Sehun felt better than anything ever had and from the feel of him hardening against your stomach, you must have felt pretty good yourself. Slowly, hardly daring to you lifted your head so that you could see his face. He was looking back at you steadily, his lips slightly parted and a seismic shock ran through you that Oh Sehun should ever look at you like that. A shiver ran through the walls that you had built up against him over the years because would there have been anything more pathetic and hopeless than a girl in love with her best friend?  
“Sehun?”  
You whispered, and your voice sounded very small.  
“Mmmm?”  
“Did… did you mean it? What you said earlier?”  
A soft snort was your response: half amusement and half exasperation.  
“You seem to be the only one that doesn’t know it.”  
He replied, vexed. “If you don’t believe me when I tell you then maybe you’ll finally listen if I show you.”  
And dropping his hands to cup your butt he pulled you up and in, plastering you against his tall frame and ducking his head to press his lips against yours.

For a moment you were so shocked that the world seemed frozen around you, and then several things impacted all at once. Boom… the raw sexuality of his hands on your ass and the sublime confidence of a man that was not afraid to take what he wanted. Boom… his lips were so soft and full even as they slanted over yours with sure intent. Boom… Now that he’d pulled you up his body his hard on was no longer pressing against your stomach but lower down and you were helpless but to part your thighs just a little and then he was there, right there and the flash of heart through your core was less volcano than supernova. Reaching up to tangle your hands in his thick hair you opened your lips to him and his tongue took advantage. The moment your tongues touched you felt yourself become liquid inside, moaning into his mouth as the slick muscle twined with yours. You alternated between not breathing at all and taking great, gasping gulps of air. His hands on your butt were making you ache inside, kneading a little like he ached to ease your legs apart and God that was the wrong thing to think!  
“Sehun!”  
Trusting him to hold your weight you wrapped your legs around his waist and he made a noise that was almost a snarl, twisting your bodies so now it was your back against the tree. Your position freed up his hands and they slid up beneath your sweater. You had a second when you realised with panicked embarrassment that you weren’t wearing a bra, dressed for sleep as you were but then his large, warm hands found your bare breasts and negative changed to positive so fast that you were left reeling by the power of your lust. His tongue was in your mouth, stroking along your lower lip and then nipping and God but he was the best kisser you had ever known. Throwing aside your inhibitions because quite frankly you were enjoying yourself way too much not to you let your hungry hands explore. God but he had a great ass. The kisses were turning frantic in their passion now, lips bruising, barely coming up for air and your legs were trembling and clenching around him. The next minute his fingers did something to your nipples, and you felt a lightning bolt of pleasure so extreme that you cried out,  
“Please!”  
“Here?”  
God but if he could only kiss and talk at the same time you’d never let him leave. That sexy, horny as hell rasp right into your ear made you feel like you were plugged directly into the mains. And you had to be addled. The two of you were mere paces from the rest of the camp and all it would take was someone deciding to go to the toilet right this second for you to be discovered: you with your sweater shoved up above your breasts and him with a tent pole in his jogging bottoms that was far more impressive than anything they’d used with the actual tents. But you couldn’t stop! The ache was so intense inside you that you wanted to cry. The thought of what else Sehun might be capable of was far more powerful than the fear of being caught.  
“God, yes!”  
His hand moved, slipping beneath the waistband of your jogging bottoms and then between your legs where, again, you had not dressed for company. His long, sensitive fingers were against her, his thumb making tight circles against her throbbing clit as two fingers discovered that she was dripping wet and begging for him. Taking it as an invitation they plunged inside and crooked just so and… and…  
Only your face buried against his neck stopped the sound as the most intense orgasm of your life slammed into you. God, those fingers against you and his dirty whispers in your ear pushing you over the edge and then some. Your whole body convulsed, and you sank your teeth into his shoulder. He didn’t seem to mind. Slowly he pulled his hand away, lifting it to his lips and slowly sucking the moisture from his long fingers. You gazed at him, mesmerised.  
“You taste…”  
He breathed in your ear. “…Of honey.”  
He was so hard now he must have been in some physical pain, but you could deal with that. All you wanted was him inside you. You wanted the sex that came with those kisses and his filthy, horny voice. Your hands went to his waistband and eased his bottoms down over his thighs. His erection sprang free and your eyes widened. Jeez! Seemed like the guys bathroom talk hadn’t been an exaggeration after all. Sehun was… erm… blessed. He wasn’t wearing underwear, either. Colour you shocked.  
“I heard something.”  
Junmyeon’s familiar voice made you both flinch hard and the tree bark dig into your back.  
“There is a load of people here tonight, ‘Myeon.”  
Junsoo’s voice replied reasonably. “Probably someone needed to pee.”  
“These weren’t pee noises! These were weird noises!”  
“And that is even less surprising. There have been so many sex hormones in the air on this trip I’m amazed it hasn’t turned into a mass orgy. Think about this carefully now, do you really want to go investigating?”  
“Junsoo!”  
But her boyfriend sounded like he was trying not to laugh. This failed as his irrepressible girlfriend called out, “It’s alright guys! We’re going back to bed!”  
There was a decisive zipping noise of canvas and you and Sehun sagged back against the trunk of the tree.  
“I have an empty tent.”  
You said quietly, now very aware that Junsoo and Junmyeon were very much awake. “Let’s make use of it.”  
Sehun’s dark eyes were burning; his pupils so dilated that his irises were swallowed up with starving black. He nodded and lowered you down to the floor on your shaking legs.  
“Let’s go.”

The two of you landed on top of your sleeping bag and immediately tussled for position, almost crashing into the side of the tent as you both struggled to be on top. Catching hold of both your wrists in one big hand Sehun pinned your hands above your head and smirked down at you.  
“I’m on top.”  
And any protests that you might have had died immediately when he pushed your bottoms down with his free hand then slithered lower. Shifting you so that one leg was hooked over his broad shoulder you felt completely exposed to him. The excitement was making your pulse race and the anticipation was killing you. And then his tongue touched you, licking a lazy line from your entrance through your wet folds; dragging over your clit. Your body convulsed, back arching as he repeated the motion again and again: lapping at the honey that trickled from your body. The pleasure was getting stronger and sharper even as you realised that his touch was just too light, too taunting to get you there.  
“Sehun!”  
You gasped, almost sobbing. He lifted his head as his lips were glossy with your fluids; his lips curved into the devil’s own smile. Clearly this was some serious payback for your flirtation with Jongdae.  
“Beg me.”  
He purred. Your eyes closed reflexively. Your whole friendship had been ridiculously competitive, and any surrender was hard won indeed. And he knew it, the bastard. He’d be able to hold this over you until your dying day. “Aw, come on now.” He coaxed as his eyes glittered with mischievous amusement. “I could leave you cold, but you’d win. Would that feel good?”  
Nooooooooo. He’d taken you to a pitch where your own touch would be woefully inadequate at satisfying you. You needed him.  
“Please.”  
Your whisper sounded slightly desperate and he arched his eyebrows innocently.  
“What was that, I didn’t hear you?”  
Oh, he wanted to hear you, did he? Letting your head fall back with a wanton moan, you curled your fingers through his.  
“Touch me.”  
You breathed. “Sehun, I need you inside me. I’m so empty, I want to feel you pushing so thick and hard…”  
With a snarl Sehun surged up your body, hands capturing yours and he took his weight onto his elbows. Positioning himself at your entrance, it was clear that he’d been pushed beyond teasing. The thick rigidness of his flesh made your eyes roll back in your head as he slowly, so slowly fought against the tightness of your body until he was fully seated inside you. The glide out was easier and then his hips snapped, driving himself back in. He found a rhythm, and your legs wrapped up high around his waist, your hips lifting to his. Every time he pushed in, a wave of pleasure seemed to surge ahead of him and at his deepest the contact with your cervix began to create the deepest pleasure you had ever known. It bordered the line between pleasure and pain but with each thrust he brushed over that special spot. The pleasure began to twist in tighter and tighter spirals in your core: shocks of bliss shooting down your thighs and making your toes curl. This was going to be good, you realised with widening eyes. This was going to be life-changing. A little scared, your eyes sought his instinctively and you two of you connected, eyes locking as the pleasure wound tighter and tighter. And he was right there with you, his expression wrecked but refusing to let go of your gaze. Fighting and fighting until the spiral suddenly unleashed. The orgasm was utterly legendary.

However you imagined the next stage of your long-standing relationship going, it had been with discretion. The two of you needed to make sure that this could last before you breathed even a hint to your friends. As usual, Sehun had his own ideas. Hooking his arm around your shoulders after he’d dropped the tent into the boot of the car he pulled you in against him for the most blatant, erotic, downright exhibitionist kiss of your life.  
“Come snuggle up with me in the car.”  
He invited, apparently unconcerned that their group of friends was all staring at them with dropped jaws. “We didn’t get much sleep last night. Probably we should get some before tonight.”  
And his wicked grin allowed absolutely no misinterpretation. Junmyeon sighed.  
“Is that an official announcement that the two of you are now together?”  
He asked dryly. “How sweet. So romantic.”  
“Get some game, son.”  
Chanyeol mocked.

Dying a little with sheer embarrassing, your eyes sought out the one person that might not be delighted with this announcement. Jenni smiled at you, her eyes twinkling.  
“Jenni… I… I’m s…”  
“Oh, don’t.”  
She replied, mildly exasperated. “You’ve been searching for someone who could even begin to compare to Sehun in all the time I’ve known you. And now you’ve got the real deal. And I such a bitch that I wouldn’t be sincerely happy for you?” Her smile grew suddenly wider. “And besides, I think I’ll do just fine.”  
You followed her gaze to where Minseok was leaning against the car with a bottle of water. As though feeling her eyes on him he looked over and winked. Relief rushed up like a tsunami inside you and catching hold of your friend, you hugged her tightly.  
“We’ll be alright?”  
Laughing, Jenni returned the hug with full force.  
“Well, I can’t see into the future, but I think we’ll all be just fine.”

………………………………………………..


End file.
